Student Account Specialist

Title: Student Account Specialist

Agency: Virginia Highlands Community College

Location: Washington - 191

FLSA: Nonexempt

Hiring Range: minimum $38,000 Commensurate upon experience

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Located in the heart of the Appalachian region, Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC) serves the city of Bristol, Washington County, and the western portion of Smyth County from its campus in historic Abingdon, Virginia. VHCC’s central location at exit 14 on Interstate 81, in view of Mt. Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, is a short commute from nearby towns and communities, including northeast Tennessee.

Since 1967, VHCC has served students in the region through academic programs aligned for seamless university transfer, specialized education for a wide range of healthcare careers, technical curricula designed by business and industry, and short-term certification offerings to meet workforce needs. VHCC awards Associate of Applied Science degrees, Associate of Arts and Sciences degrees, and certificates, as well as workforce credentials.

As one of 23 institutions in the Virginia Community College System, VHCC has served students from across the region, including northeast Tennessee, eastern Kentucky, and western North Carolina by providing quality and affordable education, training, and cultural activities through an array of flexible, diverse programs that enable community members to succeed today and in the future. More information about VHCC may be found on the college website: vhcc.edu.

In its continued service to the region, VHCC is seeking a Student Account Specialist who serves as a key member of the Business Office, responsible for managing student funds, financial aid processing, third‑party billing, and processing reconciling and reporting student financial transactions, while providing excellent customer service to students, staff and other parties on tuition, payments and related processed.

The Student Account Specialist is responsible for delivering exceptional customer service, maintaining accurate student account records, and processing revenue and receivable transactions in accordance with policies set by the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and Virginia Highlands Community College.

• Student Account Management:
  Works closely with Financial Aid staff each semester to process aid payments for tuition and fees, balance checks and bookstore charges. Prepare student invoices for tuition and fees. Prepares student backout list and schedules back‑out process. Responsible for Student Financial system table set up prior to each semester.
• Funds Management:
  Collect, process, and balance State and Federal funds, ensuring all receipts are properly credited to the appropriate funds and accounts.
• Financial Aid & Third‑Party Billing:
  Handle all financial aid processing, including sponsor invoicing, apply payments (including Chapters 31 & 33) and promptly update student accounts.
• Financial Reconciliation & Reporting:
  Reconcile financial aid, third‑party billing and general accounting transactions by performing regular balancing between disbursement reports to the general ledger, investigate variances, and resolve discrepancies to maintain the integrity of financial data. Collaborate with the VCCS on 1098‑T testing and distribution.
• Nelnet Coordination:
  Collaborate with Nelnet (Student Loan servicing provider) to manage student payment plans, resolve issues related to expired refund checks, and ensure accurate processing and posting of payments in a timely manner.
• Customer Service:
  Answer direct phone calls; communicate regularly with internal and external customers using strong verbal and written communication skills to address questions regarding financial processes or concerns.
• Student Support:
  Assist students with inquiries related to tuition, billing and payments, providing accurate guidance and support.
• Office Support:
  Provide backup coverage for the business office cashier and assist with additional duties as needed to support daily operations.

This is not a remote position. This…